Author Archives: Natalie

Niji: Cocktails in Trastevere, Rome

I have suddenly acquired a taste for cocktails. I used to shun mixed drinks in favor of wine and beer because the descriptions on the ubiquitous cocktail list brought to mind brightly colored sugary, hangover-inducing abominations. But Rome’s cocktail scene has grown up, and that is obvious at the cozy local haunts like Niji. Niji […]

8 Best Places to Eat in Rome for Seriously Cheap

Updated 30 May 2021 I moved to Rome as a student, after being laid off, when the exchange rate was painful. You could say I was on a budget. Finding cheap places to eat in Rome was pretty high on my to-do list, seeing as I also did not have a functional refrigerator for a […]

Fairytale Boutique: Shopping In Rome’s Testaccio District

I needed to go to the supermarket on Saturday. The supermarket is right next to Piazza Testaccio, and as I rounded the corner to buy household necessities, I remembered that there was something else next to Piazza Testaccio as well. Mission: Diverted. I ambled over to Fairytale “just to look,” I told myself. Fairytale is very […]

Madre in Rome’s Monti district: Ceviche, Pizza and Cocktails

garden restaurant Madre in Rome with hanging plant rows on ceiling, living plant wall and bright green couches

Having opened just last week in Monti, Madre might be Rome’s most Pinterest perfect location. The perfectly mismatched table settings? The colorful glass wear? The menu design? Checkity check check. But it is really, obviously, the lush, curated garden setting that makes the outdoor dining room so gorgeous. Gifted with a cool summer evening, we […]

Dar Filettaro in Rome: Filetti di Baccalà

Updated March 2023 I don’t really love baccalà. The salted cod can come off mushy and overly powerful in many dishes. But fried? Amazing. Dar Filettaro is one of those Roman institutions that you love not in spite of it shortcomings but because of them. It is a tiny restuarant that serves one thing: filetti […]